Wrench set holder



June 8, 1937. K. A. TORNEBOHM 2,083,131

- WRENCH SET HOLDER Filed July so; 1955 (K I my;

awucwvto o i 'atentecl June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE WRENCH SET HOLDER Application July 30,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in flat end wrenches and more particularly to wrench sets in which a plurality of graduated wrenches are secured as an assembled unit by a holding means.

In merchandising fiat end wrenches it has been found desirable, both from a sales point and in economy of packaging, to display and oiier for sale kits or sets which include a plurality of graduated wrenches in superposed relation, secured by any of several difierent types of holders. The holders were generally designed to expose the ends or work portions of the wrenches in order that a purchaser might know the graduated sizes of the set without taking it apart. While several types of holders have been developed and put into use, many of these are objectionable from the standpoint of economy as well as the inconvenience of reassembling the set after usage. For example, some of these holders have several jointed or hinged parts which require some form of latch or fastener to connect the parts and prevent inadvertent disassembly of the set. This type of holder may readily be bent out of shape or broken after a short period of use if it is made cheaply enough so that the added cost thereof will not be reflected in an increase in the cost of the wrench set. If holders of this type are made more rugged, the wrench set becomes more costly or the wrenches themselves must be made more cheaply.

The present invention lies in the provision of graduated sized openings in a set of graduated wrenches in conjunction with a tapered pin having a head engageable with the face of one outermost wrench and a nut threadably engageable with the small end of the pin and abutting the other outermost wrench. This structure has been developed to provide a wrench set securing means of extremely low cost, simple to operate, and which would not become bent or broken during use.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are more fully set forth in the 01- 45 lowing specification and disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrench set asv sembled in accordance with one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the wrench set and securing means shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the relationship of the securing pin to the dif- 55 ferent wrenches; and

1935, Serial No. 33,834

Figure 4 is a, fragmentary elevation with the pin partly removed to disassemble the set.

Reference is now had to the drawing wherein is shown one embodiment of the invention which comprises a wrench set or kit having a series of fiat end wrenches generally indicated by the reference numeral ill. These wrenches have substantially straight shanks I l and enlarged heads l2 at opposite ends thereof. Although in the present disclosure the head at one end of each wrench is open to provide a recess...l3 and, the other end of each wrench is closed and formed with the substantially circular serrated rimmed opening Hi to receive hexagonal or square nuts, it will be understood that both ends of the wrench may be of the open end type or closed as shown in the drawing without in any way affecting the present invention. Furthermore, while the present disclosure provides for a set of 6 wrenches it will be understood that the wrench .set may include larger or smaller wrenches or a greater or lesser number and also that the shanks of the wrenches need not be straight but may be of any shape desired.

Centrally of the lowermost and largest wrench an opening i6 is made. The next smaller sized wrench is provided with a slightly smaller opening ll. The smaller the wrench the smaller the sized opening. Thus, viewing the wrenches shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, they are pros vided with openings I6, l1, l8, I9, 20, and 2|. A tapered pin 23 is adapted to project up through the aligned openings It to 2| of the superposed wrenches. A head 24 abuts the shank of the lowermost wrench. The size of the opening adjacent the head 24 is such as to closely fit the opening ll; of the lowermost wrench. The gradual reduction in diameter of the pin is such that it may project through all of the openings of the set of superposed wrenches. In the case of the topmost wrench, the diameter of the pin is some less than that of the opening 2| of the topmost wrench and the pin is provided with threads 25 from a point slightly beneath the topmost wrench to its end. A suitable nut 26 is adapted to be threaded upon the! portion 25 of the pin.

When the wrenches are superposed with the pin projecting upwardly through the opening each wrench will have a comparatively close fit with the pin with the exception, as stated above, of the topmost wrench which is freely movable vertically of the threaded portion 25 of the pin. The nut 26 is threaded upon the pin and turned down. The uppermost wrench being comparatively small and having a flexible shank will be deure 2 of the drawing. Thus, the topmost wrench 7 creates a pressure upon the nut and functions as a lock washer to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the nut from the pin and the consequent disassembly of the set.

Although applicant has shown and described only one form of pin for securing a plurality of flat end wrenches, it will be understood that the particular taper or length of the pin, the number or shape of wrenchesengageable therewith, and any change in location of the pin with respect to the wrenches may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what 'I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:-

1. A wrench set comprising a plurality of superposed wrenches, said wrenches having their end portions connected by shanks of lesser thickness, said wrenches having aligned openings therethrough, a securing member projecting through said openings, a head on said member engageable with the lowermost wrench of said set, and pressure means engageable with the other end of said member, said means being adjustable to bow at least one of said wrenches and cause all of said wrenches to be secured in set relation ship.

2. A wrench set comprising a plurality of superposed wrenches, said wrenches having their end portions connected by shanks of lesser thickness, said wrenches having aligned openings therethrough, a securing member projecting through said openings, a head on said member engageable with the lowermost wrench of said set, and a nut engageable with the other end of said member, said nut being movable to engage and bow the shank of the topmost wrench whereby to cause all of said wrenches to be secured in set relationship.

3. A wrench set comprising a plurality of superposed wrenches, said wrenches having their end portions connected by shanks of lesser thickness, said wrenches having aligned openings, said openings decreasing in size from the bottom to the topmost wrench of said set, a tapered securing member, a head on said member engageable with the lowermost wrench of said set, pressure means engageable with the other end of said member, said pressure means being movable to engage and slightly bow the topmost wrench whereby to cause all of said wrenches to be secured in set relationship.

. 4. A wrench set comprising a plurality of superposed wrenches, said wrenches having enlarged work engaging end portions connected by shanks; said shanks having aligned openings therethrough, a securing member projecting through said openings, a head on said member engageable with the shank of an exposed wrench of said set, and pressure means engageable with the other end of said member, said means being adjustable to bow at least one of said wrenches and cause all of said wrenches to be secured in pressure abutment.

KENNETH A. TGRNEBOHM. 

